The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-03-30
The Captains Probation.
CHAPTER l.

CHAPTER
Mrs. Cardewe stopped at our house
one day and said
"Lucy, wish your husband could
spare you to come to the Manor for a
few days"
81 dare say he could, ma'am," I re-
piled. cts not fair, and our little
maid gets on with the children very
handy"
Well" ask him." she said. "Be-
cause Mr.. Cardewe and l are expecting
some friends, and you might help me.
You have not forgotten your old bust
ness, suppose?" she asked, smiling.
/ courtesied and said: "No. could
manage hair-dressing and so on very
well as lady's maid-if wanted"
SIT is rather to look after Lady Par
docks little boy," replied Mrs. Cardewe.
"He is an only child-the heir to the
property-and l must have trust
worthy person with him. He has an
attendant, of course, but the nurse has
been obliged to go home, l understand.
Will you come for week or SOP"
l said l would, and Mrs. Cardewe
seemed pleased.
"I will write and tell Lady Pardock,"
she said. "She will not come unless
her child is in good hands, and l can
now assure her." 1 courtesied again
and thanked her for her good opinion.
She nodded pleasantly and drove away,
saying:
"On Tuesday, then"
When Charley came back to tea he
gave me leave to go, and laughed about
my leaving my own children to look
after the only child of Lady Paddock,
who was the widow of the great bar
rister, the gentleman who had found
the heir to the Norfolk estate.
"When are you going to the Manor?"
he asked
"On Tuesday, Charley. This is Fri
day, so there's plenty of time"
The company began to arrive at the
Manor on Monday. There were to
be fourteen guests, but needn't name
them all. Mr.. Hemphill and the
Martyn-Henrys were invited at sepa-
rate times-but he remained longer
than he had at first intended-and
there was captain in the navy, re-
tired officer named Armstrong, who
wore beard like the Duke of Edin-
burgh. He was nice, plainly-spoken
gentleman-very quiet, and never
seemed to put himself out for any one.
He had been asked to meet Mr.. Hemp
hill, who had yacht and was some
what nautical. Lady Pardock came,
with nursemaid-a plain, rather silly
looking, affectionate girl-and the heir.
He was seven years old; sturdy, bold
boy; Independent, but as obedient as l
have ever seen lad so young. His
mothers word was enough; he did as
he was hidden without questioning or
fretfulness. The young heir seemed
to like the sailor-captain, who was full
of anecdotes and stories, but Lady
Pardock seemed to despise him little.
She was fine, handsome woman-tall
well-made and well-dressed. There
was at times dreamy look in her
eyes, as if she were thinking of the
past or contemplating the future. She
was very energetic, though, and could
walk, ride, row or sail boat as well as
many men.
She and Captain Henry were good
friends. She was interested in his
mining and was quite as ready to go
down the mine as she was to sail in Mr..
Hemphill's yacht, the FREELY.
You are, of course, a great traveller
Captain Armstrong;" she said one day
to the sailor. eve heard good deal
you know, through the butler and other
men-servants, and / saw good deal of
Lady Paddock, and sometimes she
talked to me.)
"No," he replied, carelessly. 81
have been about the world-not much
in it. A sailor sees a good deal, and
there is something worth seeing oc-
casionally, too"
Have you ever been in battle?'
she asked again.
"Never, am thankful to say" he
replied.
You are surely-not-no serious?'
she said.
60 / am quite serious-I dread bat
tie! OF course / should fight if l haG
to do so, but | trust / never shall"
:" wonder you entered the navy
Captain Armstrong" she half sneered
You should have been Quaker"
" 1t was not my own choice, Lady
Pardock," he answered.
" He would make an excellent country
parson," she remarked to her neigh
Dor, Captain Martyn-Henry; and very
soon afterward the ladies left the din
ing-room. From that time Lady Par
dock seemed to think the sailor wha
Charley calls a muff." He walked
and sometimes shot with the party il
the stubbles-or helped in tableaux
but never shone much in any way
When Charley came in used to tel
him about the captain.
you know nothing about it," he
would say; captain Armstrong shoots
right straight; if he don't fire often hi
always kills in a workman-like way ant
doesn't mangle his birds. What do you
know about him?'
"Not much, indeed; but he doesn't
seem to care much for anything, and il
very quiet"
$3.50 you think he's a 'muffp Oh
you womenl Because man doesn't
boast and swell about like turkey
cock you think he's got no spirit il
him."
"Well. Charley, no one could pos
sibly think he had any spirit. He's a
mild as milkl'
"Bah!' was all my husband said
So turned away and went indoors t.
my charge-Sir Jocelyn. He was
dear little fellow and we got ON YER
well together. He was obedience itself